Because We're Family
by supernaturallove123
Summary: Dean and Sam have a half-sister - Ella - but she and Dean haven't spoken in three years after she didn't choose the life of a hunter. When a case brings the Winchesters back together, will Ella join them, or leave them again? Better than it sounds, please read! *May contain spoilers through season five*
1. Chapter 1

This story takes place during season 5 after Dean and Sam are reunited. Hope you guys enjoy!

Dean is 30, Sam is 26, and Ella is 23.

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don't own _Supernatural_, or any of the associated characters, so please don't sue.

_Chapter One _

Dean Winchester lay awake on the creaky mattress that was his for the week. He pulled his arms behind his head and stared at the popcorn ceiling in silence. Sam was fast asleep, his broad chest moving up and down every few seconds. Things were still awkward between them, and although Sam had chosen to hunt again, Dean could sense the animosity that his little brother felt towards him.

Dean sighed. The smell of mildew and cigarette smoke hung heavily in the small motel room, disrupting his train of thought. He smoothed his hands down the sides of his face and sat up. He couldn't do this. He couldn't sit around and feel sorry for himself. He had to keep busy.

Dean stood up, his feet hitting the rough, patchy, 1970s era carpet. He walked over to the small table in the corner of the room, and sat down in front of Sam's laptop, logging in easily. Sure, Sam _tried _to keep his brother from watching _Busty Asian Beauties _on his computer by constantly changing his password, but Dean knew Sam better than anyone, and could guess his passwords within thirty seconds.

Googling 'freak accidents', Dean scrolled through the search results, scanning for any case that caught his eye.

"Three Harvard students die mysteriously within a week," Dean mumbled, reading the article out loud. It sounded like their kind of case.

"Sammy!" Dean called out, startling Sam out of his sleep.

"Dean, its four o'clock, what do you want?" he mumbled, one eye still closed. The older brother grinned and walked over to Sam's bed, slapping his hand against the sleepy giant's back.

"I found us a case. It's in Cambridge, though, so we better get going if we want to make it by tomorrow night." Sam shot straight up.

"_Cambridge_? Dean, do you remember who _lives _in Cambridge?" Dean put his hands in his pockets and rocked back onto his heels.

"Yeah, Ella, right?"

"Yes, _Ella_," Sam growled, "Our sister, in case you forgot." Dean rolled his eyes.

"Your point?"

"Do you remember what happened last time you guys saw each other? Dean, I've never seen her that mad."

"Look, she didn't want to live this life, I get that, okay? But she didn't have to shut us out completely."

"Dean, you pretty much _disowned _her." Dean stiffened at Sam's comment.

"She chose her mother over _us_, even though _we're_ the ones who raised her."

"She was just a kid, and her mom was sick. After Dad died, she didn't want to lose anyone else."

"We lost Dad, too, Sam. We should've stuck together. That's what a family _does_." Sam stood, pulling his jacket sleeves over his large arms.

"Maybe you should apologize to her," Sam suggested, "It's been three years."

"We'll see," Dean cleared his throat, "Let's pack everything up." The two packed in silence, Sam with anticipation, and Dean with dread.

* * *

The '67 Impala roared into the tightly packed parking lot of the apartment complex. The apartments were inside an attractive brick building, covered in ivy and charming white windows.

"You sure we should just show up like this, Dean?" Sam asked nervously.

"Yeah, I'm sure. It'll give her less time to come up with smartass remarks to say to me. Besides, it's Saturday. And if I know Ella, she's not exactly going to be out clubbing." Sam shrugged as they made their way inside the apartment's lobby. It had a contemporary design, with hardwood floors and beige walls. A plain young woman was working the front desk. Dean walked up to her, grinning his trademark grin.

"Excuse me miss," the woman blushed to her ears, "I'm here to see my little sister. Do you think you could let me go upstairs without calling her? It's her birthday, and we want to surprise her."

"O-Okay," the mousy woman replied, still flushed, "What's her name?"

"Ella Winchester," Sam chimed in.

"Her apartment is on the third floor, number four."

"Thanks," Dean smiled at her and winked. Lying came way too easily to him. Sam rolled his eyes and made his way to the elevator.

"What are you going to say to her when we get there?" Sam asked on the way up.

"I have no idea."

* * *

Sam knocked on the door marked '304' loudly, and listened as the quick footsteps of his younger sister neared the door. There was a pause as she presumably looked through the peephole. The door whipped open, revealing the petite young woman, her dirty blonde hair thrown into a messy ponytail, a shocked expression on her face.

"What the hell…?" Her hazel eyes drifted from Sam to Dean, before her pretty face broke into a grin.

"Hey Ellie," Sam smiled and hugged his sister gently. Ella glanced at Dean out of the corner of her eye.

"Hello Dean," she said curtly, "Why don't you guys come in?"Dean nodded, biting his tongue. The two followed her into the small apartment. She nodded at the couch before walking to the kitchen, grabbing two beers out of the fridge. She placed them in front of her brothers before sitting across from them.

"So what are you doing here?" She was clearly addressing Sam, ignoring Dean's presence.

"There's a case in town. That's why we came here," Dean snapped. Ella met Dean's harsh gaze bitterly.

"Something you wanna say, Dean?" She asked, narrowing her eyes at him.

"Stop it, guys," Sam groaned, "Let's just focus on the case." Dean cleared his throat and Ella leaned back in her chair, crossing her legs.

"Have you heard about the Harvard students dying?" Dean asked, composed. Ella looked confused.

"Weren't those just suicides?"

"Three suicides in a week? That's sure as hell no coincidence." Ella glanced at her lap.

"Do you think that whatever it is, is attacking people connected to the school?" As an alumni herself, this was a real concern for her.

"We don't know yet, but we'll take care of it, okay?" Sam reassured her.

"Yeah, so we should get going," Dean got up, leaving the beer untouched, "Don't get involved." Ella stood and cocked her head to the side.

"Why would I? I'm not a hunter. And when I was, I was a 'shitty one', right Dean?" She said angrily. Dean furrowed his brow. Sensing the tension, Sam grasped Dean's shoulder quickly.

"Don't worry, Ellie. We'll be back soon, after we figure everything out. Just be careful, and call us if anything happens." Ella held her arm with her hand and nodded, calmed down. Sam smiled at her and dragged Dean out the door.

Ella sighed and walked into her bedroom. A visit from Dean had been the last thing she had wanted. She walked into her closet and separated her clothes briskly, revealing a wall of photos, and a box filled with holy water, a cross, rock salt, a knife, and a rifle.

"Don't get involved _my ass_," she mumbled. As _if _she was going to let Dean solve a case in her own backyard.

**Should I continue? Please review! Tell me what you think, and feel free to ask any questions!**


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don't own _Supernatural _or any of the associated characters, so please don't sue.

_Chapter Two_

"Well, that went well. Way to smooth things over, Dean," Sam snapped sarcastically as the two exited Ella's apartment building.

"Quit acting like she's the victim, here. She could've apologized, too," Dean narrowed his eyes at his brother. They climbed into the Impala silently, and as Sam slammed the passenger door, he glanced over at Dean.

"This can't go on forever. The end of the world is coming, and she has no idea. No matter how you might feel about her now, you _know _that we have to stop treating her like a kid."

"It was _your_ idea not to tell her anything, and to let her live on her own," Dean started the car impatiently.

"I didn't want her to be a part of this. You of all people should understand that feeling," Sam reminded him. Dean shifted uncomfortably in his seat, but didn't say anything.

"Whatever. Let's just get to work."

* * *

Sam and Dean approached the tall, white-paneled home confidently, cheap suits on, and fake IDs in hand. Dean knocked on the pale blue door, tightening his tie as he waited for someone to answer. A willowy middle-aged woman opened the door slowly. Her skin was devoid of any color aside from the deep purple bags that hung under her bloodshot eyes.

"Yes?" Her broken voice questioned.

"Mrs. Thompson, I'm Agent Frederickson and this is Agent Harris," the brothers flipped their badges open briefly, "We have some questions about your son."

"Gavin?" She looked anxious, "I already talked to the police about him."

"I understand this is a difficult time for you, Mrs. Thompson, but this is really important," Sam prodded. The woman nodded reluctantly and moved aside, allowing the duo into her home. They sat in the living room awkwardly, and Dean cleared his throat after a few seconds.

"Mrs. Thompson, was Gavin acting strange in any way before his death?"

"Strange?" The woman paused, "Well, after what happened at that party, I don't blame him from being shaken up." Dean and Sam exchanged looks.

"What happened?" Sam asked.

"There was this party at one of Gavin's friend's houses a few weeks ago. It was a college party, and well, I know things can get dangerous sometimes, with all of the alcohol, but someone was _killed_." Her voice cracked.

"How were they killed?"

"Drug overdose. That poor girl. They found her locked in the bathroom the next morning."

"What was her name?" Dean inquired, confident that they had found a lead.

"Her name was Hannah. Hannah Kerins."

"Thank you," Sam scribbled the information on a notepad, "Do you mind if I use the restroom?"

"Up the stairs and to the right," the distraught woman whispered. Sam walked out of the room and up the wooden stairs briskly, making the most of his time to look around.

"Hey," a voice came out of nowhere. Sam turned to see a young girl of about fourteen standing in the hallway, "Are you here about my brother?"

"Yeah. I'm sorry for your loss." The girl scoffed, rolling her dark eyes.

"Don't be. You know how that freak killed himself?" Sam said nothing, shocked, "He threw my hairdryer into the bathtub while it was plugged in." Sam's eyes widened, and the apathetic teenager walked away.

Sam hurried into the bathroom, closing the door behind him before pulling open the cabinets, searching for a hex bag or a cursed coin. He turned his attention to the bathtub, and right before he was about to turn around, he noticed a thick, black substance sitting in the drain. He reluctantly reached down and scraped the tip of his finger against the mysterious liquid.

"Ectoplasm," he mumbled. He left the bathroom in a hurry, and joined Dean by the front door. They said their goodbyes to Mrs. Thompson and hurried to the Impala.

* * *

"Ectoplasm?" Dean asked while driving back to their motel, "So this is a pissed off ghost we're dealing with."

"Do you think it could be this Hannah girl?" Dean shrugged.

"Only one way to find out. We have to see if there's any connection between Hannah and the other deaths."

"Throwing a hairdryer into the bathtub just seems to be an unlikely way to kill yourself, don't you think?" Sam seemed uncomfortable at the thought of such a violent death.

"Yeah. Sounds like this psycho ghost bitch's out for revenge."

* * *

Sam got on his computer, and pulled four obituaries up on his browser - Hannah Kerins, Gavin Thompson, Katherine Lopez, and Peter Andrews – the four deaths that had shaken the college town in the past three weeks. There seemed to be no apparent connection between them, aside from their young age and strange, sudden deaths. On a hunch, Sam went onto Facebook and searched each of the victim's names, looking to see if they were 'friends' with each other. Hannah Kerins didn't seem to have an account, but the other three did. On Katherine Lopez's page, there was a picture, posted three weeks prior.

It was a group of around fifty young adults, smiling and holding beers. The hairs on the back of Sam's neck stood up as he scanned the photo. One by one, he identified Gavin, Peter, and Katherine, all standing in different areas, and slightly blurry, but their faces clearly matching those in the obituaries. In the corner, alone and with a saddened expression, was Hannah.

"Dean," Sam called out, excited, "I found the link between the victims. They all went to this party." Dean leaned over Sam's shoulder.

"Good work, Sammy," Dean nodded, "We should find out where this house is tomorrow morning." Dean awaited a response, but after a few moments, he glanced down at his brother, who had gone completely white.

"Look," Sam pointed at the screen.

Ella was in the picture.

**What did you guys think? Please review! I'll continue after five reviews…just to make sure you want more :D Thanks so much!**


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don't own Supernatural or any of the associated characters, so please don't sue.

_Chapter Three_

"The hell…?" Dean narrowed his eyes at the picture. Sure enough, there was his little sister, smiling innocently into the camera. Sam stood up and began pacing around the room.

"Should we call her or just drive over there?" He asked Dean anxiously.

"I don't think we should be worried," Dean replied, sitting down on his bed casually. Sam stared at him in horror.

"Dean, this thing is _killing _people."

"I know. But if we've put the pieces together, don't you think Ella has?" Dean was pissed. Ella had managed to trick him, "She probably just didn't want us on the case. And if she wants us to stay away, fine. I can take a friggin' hint."

"This isn't the time to be immature, Dean," Sam put his jacket on, "Give me the car keys. I'm driving over there."

"You're not driving my car. I'll drive."

* * *

Sam practically _flew _into the apartment building, his brother taking his sweet time behind him. The receptionist allowed them in, trusting Sam's kind smile as he explained a 'family emergency'. The two rode the elevator in silence.

The closer Dean got to Ella's apartment, the more aggravated he became. Did she really not trust them _that _much? He looked over at his brother, who was so worried he could hardly stand still. _That would be just like Sammy_, Dean thought, _not a selfish bone in his body_.

The elevator beeped as the Winchesters arrived at their destination. Apartment '304' seemed so much more hostile than it had a few hours ago. It was only ten o'clock, but the hallway was dark and felt abandoned. Sam knocked gently at first, but after a few moments without a response, he knocked louder. Frustrated, he pulled out a lock pick and frantically broke into his sister's apartment.

The first thing Dean noticed was that all of the lights were off, as if Ella wasn't home, but her car keys and purse were sitting on the kitchen counter.

"Ella?" Sam called out nervously. Dean felt his heart rate increase as they neared the bedroom. He drew his gun as Sam pushed the door open.

Ella's bed was pushed towards the center of the room, and it was surrounded by a ring of salt. Tucked into the bed was Ella, breathing softly, unaware of the intruders.

"Damn it," Dean exhaled, storming over to her bedside. He grasped the girl's narrow shoulders and shook her, "Wake up, bitch." Sam shot Dean an aggravated glare. Ella's eyes fluttered open, registering shock and fear at the sight of two dark figures in her room. She reached under her pillow for a gun, when Sam turned the lights on.

Ella looked surprised, before pulling the bed covers off her thin legs and standing up, looking Dean in the eyes, hazel meeting hazel.

"So, you found the connection?"

* * *

The three siblings sat at the table, the atmosphere tense.

"Tell us what happened at the party," Dean interrupted the stillness. Ella nodded, pulling out the same picture that her brothers had seen on Facebook. In the picture, four people were crossed out, others were circled, and the rest had no markings.

"It was a graduation party that my friend David and his three roommates threw," Ella explained, pointing out the hosts, "Here's Hannah." A look of grief crossed her face.

"She died at the party, right?" Sam asked gently. Ella nodded.

"Yeah, David found her in the bathroom after everyone left," she bit her lip, "She was so nice." Sam touched his sister's shoulder gingerly.

"How'd she die?" Sam prodded, "We heard it was a drug overdose." Ella cast him a dark look.

"Hannah was the last person who would _ever _do drugs," she said strongly.

"People screw up," Dean leaned back in his chair, "Happens all the time."

"No," Ella repeated, "Not Hannah. Never Hannah."

"So what happened to her?" Sam questioned.

"She had a heart attack," the young girl insisted, "She saw something and it scared her so much…" Ella paused.

"She'd been telling me all night that she had seen something. I should've listened to her. I of all people should have listened."

"It's not your fault," Sam assured her.

"So, basically, you're telling us that Hannah's _not _the vengeful spirit?"Dean looked displeased.

"Of course not," Ella said quietly, "She's the first victim."

* * *

Sam and Dean exchanged glances.

"Who's the spirit, then?" Sam asked.

"I have no clue," Ella shrugged, "But, I have a theory."

"Let's hear it."

Ella placed the photo in front of her brothers, took a red sharpie, and drew an arrow towards a young man with dark brown hair and glasses.

"This is David Benetton," she stated, "_He's _the real connection. The party was just a coincidence."

"Explain," Dean demanded. Ella cast him an irritated look before continuing.

"All of the victims were friends with David. None of the other roommates' guests were killed. Also, David's aunt, Mara, died three days ago, fell down the stairs in her house. She was old, so no one bothered looking into it. But I guarantee you, it was no accident," she said confidently, "There was ectoplasm in her air vents. I got David to take me to her home."

"Have you told David about us? About hunting?" Dean growled. Ella shook her head.

"I'm not an idiot. I'm only hunting again because this case involves my friends," she insisted.

"And you," Sam reminded them, "Clearly you're worried about the ghost if you're sleeping inside a protective circle of _salt_."

"Hell yes, I'm worried. If I'm going to be killed by something supernatural, I don't want it to be by some stupid ghost with a vendetta."

"I think we should stay in your apartment until we solve this. To make sure that doesn't happen," Sam looked at her with concerned eyes. Dean didn't say anything, agreeing silently.

"Okay. But you have to let me help out. We need to figure out why this spirit is picking off people close to David, before it gets to me."

**Thanks for the reviews, guys! :D Please continue to give your input. Do you think I should integrate Ella into the main storyline and keep writing about the trio or end it after this case? Let me know, please(: I hope everyone had a great 4****th**** of July!**


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